The black panther emerged from the shadows. Its sleek fur was glossy black, without a single stray shade of color.
Around its neck hung a golden collar that looked nothing like a magic treasure.
Blocking the stone hall's entrance, the black panther gazed at the two men standing ready, a teasing glint in its eyes.
Its demeanor was completely relaxed. It paid Qin Sang, Yunyouzi, and the Flying Yaksha no mind at all, looking at them as if they were mere playthings.
To a beast in the mid Demon Core stage, False Core stage cultivators were negligible. Even the Flying Yaksha, the strongest among them, could be slaughtered at its whim.
"A Shadow-devouring Leopard!"
Yunyouzi's eyes turned cold, his expression beneath the mask turning grave as well. He warned Qin Sang, "The Shadow-devouring Leopard clan is subordinate to Demon King Yu, and this one is the king of its tribe. Their ability to suppress their presence and conceal their tracks is top-tier even among the demon race. Little Brother, you must be extremely careful."
Qin Sang thought to himself that it was no wonder.
The Shadow-devouring Leopard's concealment techniques were renowned, famous even among human cultivators.
What was more, its cultivation was at the mid Demon Core stage, two full realms higher than theirs. It was only natural that the secret mark Yunyouzi had left behind failed to detect its trail.
Looking at the Shadow-devouring Leopard before them, Qin Sang's heart sank.
Standing by the lake shore, he did not dare twitch a muscle. His body went rigid, and the blood throughout his veins felt as though it was about to freeze.
He could already feel an imperceptible wisp of qi locked onto him.
The Shadow-devouring Leopard paced slowly, looking entirely at ease. It showed no overt killing intent, nor did it look across the water at the Crimson Cloud Purple Fruit, showing no urge to fight over it.
Yet Qin Sang knew full well that if he dared take even half a step forward, what met him next would inevitably be a thunderous strike.
Had the beast been only in the early Demon Core stage, he stood a good chance of defeating it by unsealing his corpse core and working together with his magic treasure and the Flying Yaksha. But facing an opponent in the mid Demon Core stage, he had no confidence whatsoever.
His only hope lay in the Xutian Thunder.
Even with a demon beast's formidable physique, taking a direct hit from the Xutian Thunder would leave it gravely wounded at the very least.
The Shadow-devouring Leopard did not know he possessed an item capable of threatening its life. Caught off guard by its own carelessness, an opportunity might present itself.
With that thought, Qin Sang clenched his fist, keeping the Xutian Thunder hidden.
Instead of unsealing his corpse core right away, he flicked his right hand. The Ten Directions Yanluo Array flew from his fingertips, ten ghost banners thrusting into the ground around him.
After his spiritual power had undergone its qualitative leap, his strength had jumped to a new level, surpassing ordinary False Core stage cultivators. His speed in setting up formations had grown remarkably swift; even without unsealing the corpse core, he could lay down the array with ease.
He swallowed several spirit pills and sliced open his palm. Fresh essence blood spurted out and was instantly devoured clean by the ravenous main souls. Their aura surged violently as they stood waiting in strict formation.
At the same time, Qin Sang concealed the Ten Directions Yanluo Banner magic treasure in his palm.
Most demon beasts relied heavily on their physical bodies, using magic treasures merely as support. The ebony sword's Blood Filth Divine Light divine ability would likely find little purchase here.
Once an intense battle broke out, the Ten Directions Yanluo Banner would prove far more useful.
No matter how powerful the Ten Directions Yanluo Array was, it was still only a set of magic tools and could not compare to a true magic treasure.
The Shadow-devouring Leopard cast a brief glance over the display, not bothering to care, and looked at Yunyouzi with an amused expression. "Old man, it seems you know quite a bit about my demon race, recognizing even my identity. If you confess honestly who dared betray our clan and reveal the location of the Crimson Cloud Purple Fruit, I can grant you a quick death."
Having formed goodwill with the Nascent Soul cultivators and knowing rewards awaited him upon return, Qin Sang had an escape route, so he no longer viewed the Crimson Cloud Purple Fruit as indispensable.
Before coming here, he had already prepared for failure. If they encountered a formidable foe, giving up the fruit was not out of the question; keeping his life came first.
He had never expected that their journey would be so smooth, easily trapping the golden eagle, only to be cornered here by a mid Demon Core stage Shadow-devouring Leopard just as success was within reach.
The stone hall had only one entrance, now blocked by the leopard. There was nowhere to run.
What Qin Sang had to consider now was no longer whether they could obtain the Crimson Cloud Purple Fruit, but how the two of them could escape the leopard's jaws alive.
If relinquishing the Crimson Cloud Purple Fruit could buy them a chance at life, Qin Sang would not hesitate for a second.
He was bracing for battle, just about to convey his decision to Yunyouzi, when a voice transmission from Yunyouzi reached his ears first. His expression shifted, a flicker of astonishment flashing in the depths of his eyes.
"A mere beast dares threaten this poor Daoist?"
Yunyouzi sneered in contempt, uttering words dripping with ridicule.
Yet coming from a False Core stage cultivator toward a mid Demon Core stage beast, such words felt utterly jarring—only fitting if spoken by a Nascent Soul cultivator.
Sure enough, the Shadow-devouring Leopard was provoked, murderous intent surfacing in its eyes.
"Courting death!"
The Shadow-devouring Leopard crouched slightly, then vanished from the spot in an instant.
In that split second, its silhouette and aura both disappeared completely from Qin Sang's and Yunyouzi's perception. They could not sense where it had gone at all.
Qin Sang's heart tightened. Without hesitation, he ordered the main souls to hoist the magic treasure.
*Whoosh, whoosh...*
A sinister wind whipped up abruptly, churning the tranquil lake into rolling waves.
The Nine Nether Demonic Fire transformed into a fire dragon, surging forth silently to envelop Qin Sang completely, leaving not the slightest gap.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye. Just as Qin Sang unleashed the Nine Nether Demonic Fire, he heard Yunyouzi roar furiously, "Get out here!"
*Boom!*
A deafening crash rang out. The four walls of the stone hall suddenly blazed with brilliant light, converging into a pillar of radiance at the dome that plummeted from above, striking the empty air directly in front of Qin Sang.
The white light was blinding. Squinting his eyes, Qin Sang saw a black shadow blasted out of the void by the radiant beam, slamming violently into the ground. It was none other than the Shadow-devouring Leopard.
In an instant, cold sweat drenched Qin Sang's back.
The leopard's speed was terrifyingly swift. In a single breath, it had already closed in right before him. What was even more frightening was that he had not sensed the slightest fluctuation beforehand.
The Shadow-devouring Leopard bounced back to its feet, seemingly uninjured. But its feline eyes were wide and round as it dropped into a hunting crouch, reverting somewhat to the savage habits of a beast before its sapience had awakened. It roared in sheer shock and fury, "How can you manipulate the blood restriction left behind by my clan's Great King? Just who are you!"
To be called "Great King" by the Shadow-devouring Leopard could only refer to a demon king of the Heavenly Demon Mound.
Qin Sang looked at Yunyouzi in utter astonishment. When he had heard Yunyouzi's voice transmission a moment ago, he had still harbored doubts. But now, with the proof right before him, he had no choice but to believe.
To be able to manipulate a blood restriction left behind by a Transformation stage great demon—even if it was merely drawing upon a fraction of its power—Yunyouzi's mastery over restrictions could only be described as unfathomable!
Yunyouzi turned a deaf ear, his hand seals shifting in rapid succession as one incantation after another sank into the Flawless Pearl. The pearl shone with radiant brilliance, and restrictions flickered continuously across the stone hall's four walls, all seemingly stirred by its power.
The great hall was illuminated as bright as day, with more and more light converging toward the Shadow-devouring Leopard.
The Shadow-devouring Leopard glared fixedly at the Flawless Pearl, suddenly gripped by an ominous premonition.
It had assumed it could dispatch these two playthings with a wave of its paw, yet it now sensed genuine danger from them. This was something the leopard had never anticipated, striking it as utterly preposterous and surreal.
Yet the feeling the Flawless Pearl gave it was undeniable, leaving it entirely bewildered.
Chapter 580